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Showing posts for: Safety and Health

Nov 02 2023
Q&ASafety and HealthWage and Hour

WASHINGTON Q&A: Employers can still prohibit some moonlighting

Question: We know there have been many changes in Washington law lately about non-compete restrictions, but are we still allowed to prohibit current employees from moonlighting? Answer: Under certain conditions, yes. Washington law allows employers to restrict current employees from “moonlighting” (i.e., working other jobs at the same time) if the employee is making at…

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Nov 02 2023
Drug and AlcoholHiringQ&A

WASHINGTON Q&A: Conducting pre-employment cannabis tests

Question: We plan to continue pre-employment drug testing for marijuana after Washington’s new restrictions go into effect on January 1, 2024. We heard one of the exceptions that would allow us to continue pre-employment marijuana testing is if impairment in the position “presents a substantial risk of death.” What does that mean and how can…

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Oct 23 2023
Safety and HealthWorkers’ Comp

Ask the Safety Expert: Prevent injuries like a top performer

As Vigilant’s safety manager, I have an opportunity to work with hundreds of manufacturers in industries ranging from steel fabrication to wood products to food processing and agriculture. All of them share a strong commitment to workplace safety. The top performers elevate this commitment by investing in a culture of safety and constantly setting new…

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Oct 19 2023
Safety and Health

Generalized lockout/tagout procedures are not enough

If your workplace has machines that are powered by or store hazardous energy, federal and state safety regulations require you to have machine-specific written procedures to address those hazards. Your lockout/tagout program is an essential element to keep employees safe when working around hazardous energy, but its procedures are only effective if the instructions are…

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Oct 05 2023
COVID-19Safety and HealthWashington

WASHINGTON: Permanent TWH rules released

Starting November 1, 2023, operators of temporary worker housing (TWH) must comply with new rules issued by Washington’s Departments of Labor & Industries (L&I) and Health (DOH) that primarily address communicable diseases such as COVID-19. As we previously reported, L&I and DOH indicated in January that they planned to create permanent rules when their last…

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Sep 01 2023
Safety and HealthWorkers’ Comp

Fall Must-Haves: Preventing Injuries & Pumpkin Spice

Enjoying the fall season in the Northwest can be a delightful experience—stunning foliage, crisp air, and various seasonal activities. It’s the perfect time of year to not only check-in on our cozy attire and engage in fun festivities but also consider how the seasonal transition affects workplace conditions so you can proactively prevent workplace injuries….

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Aug 10 2023
Safety and HealthTermination & ResignationWashington

Q&A: Light duty may not stop time loss exposure

Question: We had to terminate an employee who was working in a light duty position following his on-the-job injury. The Washington Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) awarded him time loss benefits, but we don’t understand why. Since he was working a light duty position when his job ended, shouldn’t that stop time loss exposure?…

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Aug 10 2023
Safety and Health

New OSHA rule requires more injury data from high-risk industries

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently announced a final rule that will require establishments with 100 or more employees in certain high-risk industries to electronically submit individual workers’ injury and illness data from their OSHA Form 300 (Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses), and OSHA Form 301 (Injury and Illness Incident Report) to…

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Jul 06 2023
Safety and HealthWashington

WASHINGTON: Updated heat illness rules effective July 17, 2023

Washington’s Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) recently updated its permanent rules that protect outdoor workers from heat exposure and illness, effective July 17, 2023. The outdoor heat exposure rules for general industry (which begin at WAC 296-62-095) were revised from WAC 296-62-09510 through 296-62-09560 and the rules for agriculture (which begin at WAC 296-307-097) were revised from…

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Jul 06 2023
Safety and Health

Address standing forklift under-ride hazards at your worksite

Stand-up forklifts have a unique and significant safety risk called under-riding. This occurs when the forklift operator, with forks trailing, backs into a storage rack with a crossbar slightly taller than the truck cab. If there is nothing to stop the forklift, the operator can be hit or crushed. This is what happened twice within…

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Jun 15 2023
Safety and Health

Prepare for the 2023 wildfire season

Wildfire season is upon us, so you should have a plan to address and protect workers from wildfire smoke exposure. The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) and Occupational and Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently released guidance urging employers to develop wildfire smoke plans to protect outdoor workers from exposure. Protective measures include frequently monitoring…

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Jun 15 2023
Safety and HealthWashington

WASHINGTON: More bills signed from 2023 legislative session

More bills from the 2023 legislative regular session have been signed into law by Washington Governor Jay Inslee. We previously reported on a number of newly signed bills from this session. Two additional bills of interest to employers are listed below. SSB 5217: Authorizes L&I to develop workplace ergonomic safety rules. Effective July 23, 2023,…

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